Collapsible tooth-brush



April 30, 1957 w. HENNINGS COLLAFSIBL TOOTH-BRUSH Filed Sept. 23, 1953 F/GT 5 ,576.4

COLLAPSIBLE TOOTH-BRUSH Walter Hennings, Hamburg, Germany Application September 23, 1953, Serial No. @$1,851 Claims priority, application Germany September 25, 1952 3 Claims. (Cl. 132-84) The invention relates to a tooth-brush `and refers especially to a collapsible tooth-brush one part of which being made of one piece combined with a protecting casing for receiving the bristles of the brush in the collapsed condition. l

Such tooth-brush will be improved according to the invention by providing the tooth-brush additionally with a container for receiving means for cleaning the teeth. ln this way a tooth-brush will be provided which is adapted in a most favourable way not `only for journeying and travelling purposes, but also as `an implement which men and women may carry with them for sanitary or hygienic purposes. During the ordinary course of day-time there arise very often for a big number of people in connection with numerous occurrences which may not be foreseen the desire or the necessity for cleaning the mouth and the teeth. The tooth-brush formed `according to the invention may be easily carried along and borne everywhere, whereby it is especially adapted to be put in a ladys pouch. Such a tooth-brush is additionally adapted to be added to the baggage of soldiers, hunters, fishermen, Wanderers and commercial travellers. The means for cleaning the teeth and the mouth may be inserted in any form in the container, e. g. in the form of a tube receiving a cleaning paste, in form of tablets or in liquid form.

With a preferred embodiment of the invention the container for receiving the tooth cleaning means is situated in the space between the bristles of the tooth-brush and the journal rotatably connecting the two tooth-brushhalves one with another when the tooth-brush being in its collapsed condition. By this way a most suitable use of the whole length of the two tooth-brush-halves will be secured.

Furthermore it is recommendable to manufacture the container for receiving the tooth cleaning means out or" two parts, i. e. a receptacle combined with the handle part of the tooth brush and a cover which is rotatably supported by the journal rotatably connecting the two tooth-brush-halves one with another.

The tooth-brush formed in conformity with the invention will be additionally improved by providing the protecting casing for receiving the bristles ot' the brush with a projecting sealing rim, which is engaging a sealing groove formed in a corresponding manner on the bristle holder or vice versa. This structure too assists the solving of the inventive problem to provide a collapsible tooth-brush which may be easily taken along everywhere and which enables the user to clean the mouth and the teeth without charging the usual pockets unnecessarily and without soiling them eventually.

The drawings annexed herewith are showing one embodiment of the invention in a simplied manner. ln connection with these drawings additional features and advantages of the invention are disclosed.

Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a tooth-brush formed according to the invention, in its extended condition, ready for use.

nited States Patent Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the toothbrush of Fig. 1 in its collapsed or shut condition.

Fig. 3 shows a cross section taken along line lll-III of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 shows a side-view of the tooth-brush of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in its collapsed condition.

Fig. 5 shows an elevation view of the tooth-brush in its collapsed condition.

The tooth-brush includes the two parts 1 and 2 which are supported rotatably one with respect to another by means of a journal pin 3. Stops 4, 5 are provided for securing that the two parts 1, 2 may not be rotated beyond there extended position shown in Fig. l. Part 2 is provided, as may be readily seen from Fig. l and 2, with a part 6 formed as casing which is adapted to receive the bristles 7 of the brush secured to the handle part 1. The handle part 1 is provided on its exterior rim with a notch or groove 8 adapted to engage a projecting sealing rim 9 which is provided on the casing 6 of part 2. By means of the elasticity of the material out of which the two parts 1, 2 are made the projecting rim 94 and the groove or notch 8 may engage one another. Preferably the -two parts 1, 2 are made out of plastics and yespecially of a synthetic resin. The handle part 2 is additionally provided with a container or receptacle 10 which serves for receiving tooth cleaning means 11 which is shown in the drawing as being provided in form of tablets. The journal pin 3 serves additionally as means for supporting a cover 12 by means of which the interior of the container or receptacle 10 may be shut otl. T he two parts 1 and 2 and the cover 12 are therefore rotatably supported by means of the same journal pin as may be readily seen from Fig. 5.

The cover 12 too may be provided with a hook-formed or oifset prolongation 13 which is adapted to engage the enlarged or thickened rim 14 of the partition separating the container 10 for receiving the tooth cleaning means from the casing 6 for receiving the bristles 7 of the brush.

In this way not `only the two parts 1 and 2 of the toothbrush but also the cover 12 will be safely held in its closed position. By this means the inventor has secured that the bristles of the tooth-brush will not soil the pocket used for receiving it, and that additionally the tooth cleaning means will be safely held in a container adjacent the tooth-brush and unobjectionable from a sanitary and hygienic view-point.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

l. A compact teeth cleaning unit adapted to be carried on the person comprising a hollow elongated elastic casing having an integral partition dividing said casing into a brush compartment and dentifrice compartment, said compartments being aligned along the longitudinal axis of said casing, pivot and stop means located in the end ot' said casing remote from said brush compartment, a tooth brush having a bristle portion and an elastic handle portion, a cover for said dentifrice compartment, a common pivotal connection between said pivot means and said handle and said cover, said handle having a portion engaged by said stop to limit outward swinging movement of said handle to `arrest said handle in an extended position coextensive with said casing, said cover being engaged with the inside of said handle with said handle in an inwardly swung position with said bristle portion in said brush compartment to retain said cover in closed engagement with lrespect to said dentifrice compartment.

2. A compact teeth cleaning unit as defined in'claiin l wherein said bristle portion of said brush is shaped to have releasable interlocking engagement with the end of said casing remote from said stop and pivot means for holding said bristle portion in said brush compartment.

3. A compact-teeth cleaning unit as defined in .claim 1 wherein said cover has a hook format lthe end remote from its pivot, said partition having a thickened edge to be engaged by seid h ook form end of said cover to releasably retain said cover closed with respect to said 5 dentifrice compament.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Arment Sept. 13, 1881 Archer Nov. 3, 1908 Smith June 24, 1941 Boulicault May 7, 1946 

